Curtain-stretcher



No. 622,356. Patented Apr. 4', I899.

. n. .HICKMAN.

CURTAIN STRETGHER. (Application filed 11mg 29, 1898.) (No Model.)

w i/linmw, mum Woo NITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE.

' HENRY HICKMAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CURTAlN-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,356, dated April 4, 1899.

Application filed June 29, 1898. Serial No. 684,748. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY I-IICKMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Ourtain-Stretchers and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an apparatus which is especially designed for stretching lace curtains and the like, so as to make them absolutely even in length and so that they correspond in pattern and figure and hang properly at the window when in place.

It consists of a rectangular frame with movable bars, a means for attaching the curtains in pairs and thereafter stretching them, and in details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of one of the frame-bars or movable strips.

For the purpose of stretching lace curtains and the like it is customary to employ frames, to which the curtains may be attached singly and each curtain stretched by itself. The pairs of curtains thus stretched rarelymatch in pattern and design, and when hung at the window or opening are apt to have a lop-sided uneven appearance which is very inartistic.

My invention is designed to provide for the accurate stretching of the curtains in pairs, so that the designs will absolutely match and the curtains be in every respect similar to each other.

In carrying this out I make a frame B of strips sufficiently long to form the four sides of a rectangular frame larger than any curtains which are to be stretched upon it. These strips are mortised, dovetailed, bolted, or othwith the outer edges beveled, as shown, or tapered to a thin edge, and I have made them with open slots 1) extending longitudinally along these thin edges. Within these slots are fixed pins to, which project outwardly along the edges of the frame and in the vertical plane of the frame when the latter is in use. In the present case these pins project along one of the longitudinal frame-bars B and along the outer edge of the brace-bar B.

C and D are respectively a longitudinal and transverse bar made similar to the bars B and B, having the outer edges beveled or drawn to a thin edge with pins a similar to those previously described. These bars are secured by clamps E of any suitable description to the exterioror main frame B.

In order to stretch curtains, they are taken in pairs, with the pattern matching, and the edges are hooked over the pins a upon the outside of the frame B and the ends corre spondingly along the pins upon the transverse bar-B, so that one curtain lies upon one side of the frame and its mate upon the opposite side. The bar 0 is then swung inwardly, one end remaining clamped, as shown, and the edges of the curtains are hooked over the pins upon the outer edge of this bar. 7 The bar D is similarly swung in, as shown in dotted lines,

and the ends of the curtains opposite to the bar B are hooked over these pins, so that when in place one curtain lies upon one side of the frame and the other upon the opposite side, with the full pattern and design and every part of each curtain corresponding and coinciding with the similar part of the other one. The ends of the bars 0 and D, which were swung inward, are now moved outward until the bars are respectively parallel with the longitudinal and transverse bars of the frame B, when the curtains will be evenly and equally stretched in all parts, remaining in this position as long as may be desired. Af-

ter the stretching is complete the bars 0 and D are again swung inwardly, so as to loosen the curtains at the edges, and they are removed from the pins and are then in readithe frame-bars when the wet curtains are in position their edges rest .on the said beveled in place whereby one end of each adjustable bar may be swung inwardly to allow the edges of the curtain to be attached, said adjustable bars, one side bar of the main frame, and said brace-bar having pins and the edges of said bars upon each side of the pins being curved or beveled to form sustaining-seats for the edges of the curtains.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY IIIOKHAN. Witnesses:

S. H. NOURSE, GEO. II. STRONG. 

